Happiest Day of My Mission (so far) 11-3-2014

I got a new P-day since I'm now in my 2nd transfer. 
So crazy I've been on a mission for over 2 months!! 

My P-day is now Monday for the next 6 weeks.

I have SO much to tell you! 

(So sorry if this email is all over the place. I'll start with last Saturday because I can't really remember before.)

Briggs and Becca came to Temple Square! I love them so much. We got to go to lunch at Brio, this super delish Italian place Becca's brother works at. I got a burger..but it was a fancy Italian burger so I told myself it was healthy. So,  that was definitely the highlight of my weekend. Seriously, I am way too blessed to be serving here. Temple Square is amazing.

Last Monday was probably the happiest day of my mission. It was 10:30 in the morning. Sister Isaksen and I were heading to the Square when we got a text. It was from this lady named Syndie. 

(A little background on Syndie. She called into mormon.org about a month ago looking simply for financial help. Sister Isaksen answered the phone and ended up talking to her for like a half hour. We got her number and set up a return appointment for the next day. When we called, she just thanked Sister Isaksen so much for answering the phone and talking to her. She said she woke up this morning feeling like 500 lbs. had been lifted off her. So we taught her the first lesson, sent her local missionaries and called her one more time a few days later. We were so excited for her because the gospel was literally exactly what she needed. She was just soaking up everything we were teaching her. But, after the second lesson, we called and called her but she never picked up the phone. Two weeks ago we called her and left a voicemail to tell her we wouldn't be calling her anymore, but if she ever needed anything, to call us. We were so confused because we really thought she wanted to learn more, but we just kind of let it go.) 

So, back to last Monday. Syndie texts us and tells us SHE GOT BAPTIZED!! We literally like scream-cried in the middle of the crosswalk! haha 

The story gets cooler. Apparently at her baptism she got up and told her story about how she came to know about the church and she said it was because she called into mormon.org and talked to "Rebecca and Carly." When she was telling her story, Sister Maladiri (a sister from Temple Square serving outbound) was at the baptism and had talked to Syndie a few times and thought in her head, "that has to be some Temple Square sisters"  because we are who answer the phone for mormon.org. 

So when Syndie texted us on Monday she said, "Sister Maladiri, a sister who is serving her mission in Salt Lake City, is going to try to find you two and show you a picture of me at my baptism." Sister Isaksen was like, "I know Sister Maladiri!!!!!" So, it was so amazing. We got to see pictures of Syndie's baptism (I'll get them from "Sister Mala" and send them next week) and we finally got to call her on Saturday and talk about everything. 

Syndie was such a miracle! So nothing else I'm really going to talk about can trump that story but the rest of my week has been really good too!

Henrik (I told you about him last week) came to church with us on Sunday!! He's the best. Our sacrament meeting is at 7:30 am. We had a really awesome discussion about Enos chapter 1 and prayer and how God truly can put our soul at rest. 

I love the Book of Mormon. 

Seriously, I do not know why I didn't read it more before my mission. 

We got to have an organ tour! I got to play a few notes on the organ in the Conference Center (again, I'll send pics next week because I didn't have time to load them) and we got to go behind the organ in the Tabernacle and see all the pipes. Once in a life time opportunity. I feel like I'm getting older because I'm actually starting to be really interested in history and genuinely want to learn more about the buildings here...it's weird.

Thank you Mama Isaksen for the birthday package!

Oh, also it was Sister Isaksen's bday on Wednesday! 

We had brownies for breakfast :) 

Sister Isaksen's BFF from Norway surprised her for her birthday!!!

I had another small epiphany I'll just share really fast. My new zone leader Sister Kennoch said something really interesting that got me thinking at our zone meeting on Saturday. She said God doesn't need us. At first in my head I thought .."well, he kind of needs us a little bit..." but as I kept thinking about it, I realized she is so right. We as missionaries are not who convert people. The Spirit does that. Yes, we help people work through their concerns regarding the gospel and teach them the doctrine, but God could do this work on his own if he wanted to. 

The thing is, he doesn't want to do it all on his own. He sent each one of us here to learn how to become more like him. He has given me this incredible opportunity to serve a mission. He has given me this opportunity to meet so many new people everyday. He has given me this opportunity to serve those around me in ways I never would have been able to had he not told me to come on a mission. God is so good. He does so much for me. Every experience we are given in this life, I am convinced, is so we can come to know our God more fully. I love him so much. I love you all so much! 

Thank you for all your sweet emails, they really do make my day.

Love,

Sister Helton

P.S. Halloween rocked also. (Pics below)

The Square closed at 5pm and we got to go to the Temple as a whole mission.                                     best.halloween.evs.

Me+Sister Sughroue 
(She knows Cassie Campos!! 

She said she's her second mom, CRAZY. We were in the MTC together. 
Love her tons)